With Northern Football Netball League coaches voting Kilmore the team most likely to rise in the 2024 division three competition, the Blues intend to pick up where they left off last season.
Head coach Paul Derrick said the side was in good form at the end of last season and hope to bring some more consistency into the competition this season.
“It’s obviously going to be a super competitive year with a lot of quality players going to a lot of quality clubs which is going to be great,” he said.
“We just want to be way more consistent. I think we showed at the end of last year getting within two goals of Mernda and then Laurimar. If we can put it together for four quarters, we’re going to be pretty decent so that’s our aim. To be more consistent.
“I think last year we had games where it was two quarters that were really good but then faded or one quarter where we lapsed and it cost us a game, so this year is about playing four quarters how we want to play which will be fast and direct, and hopefully that works well for us.”
Alongside the 95 per cent of the 2023 playing list recommitting this season, the seniors have picked up new players including Benjamin Barton and Ryan Bailey.
“Ben Barton’s going to be a sensational player for us. He’s a centre-halfback and a really good footballer,” Derrick said.
“Ryan Bailey comes to us from Macleod division one so he’s a really good pickup and then there’s the hardnuts like Mitch Van De Duim and a few other players that have come in which has been great for us.”
Mick Marrett will lead the Blues as captain this season with Leigh Irons taking up a player-coach role with the Reserves.
Bailey Derrick and Max Lacorcia will serve as deputy vice-captains alongside him.
“Preseason has been fantastic. We’ve got a list of 72 now committed which is great and the boys have put in a lot of hard work,” Derrick said.
“We’ve had training camps and things like that, that have been well attended.
“All of the young boys have found another level so far which is great. Marcus Lacorcia has been fantastic for us.
“Ethan Derrick looks like he’s going to another level which we’ve really needed which is great.
“Grant Paxton’s flying at the moment and Mick Marrett, although he just turned 30, is going hard in the sessions and has got the boys on the right track going ahead which is really great.”
However the struggle for positions will be on with no under 19s side leaving the 72 players vying for spots among the two senior teams.
“Unfortunately we won’t be able to get the under 19s up so we’ve got 72 players and two sides which makes it great because it’s going to be a fight for positions,” Derrick said.
